Itinerary Check – Tokyo/Osaka – 13 Days early November 2023

Hey all, we are a couple going to Japan for the first time, and would love to get any feedback or recommendations on our itinerary!

We are in our 30’s, love anime/gaming but also wanted to ensure we experience some of the more cultural aspects as well. We plotted a bunch of interesting places and essentially grouped them together geographically to put together our tentative itinerary.

While we love food, we also don’t prefer long line-ups and have no issues trying food spots spontaneously.

Accommodations

Day 1-9: Hotel in Ikebukuro

Day 10-13: Hotel in Osaka

Day 0

* Arrive at Haneda Airport (around 3PM)
* Pick up Welcome Suica cards and get Ubigi eSim set up
* Anyone know if the exclusive Pikachu vending machine would be reachable from the Arrivals gate?
* Check in to hotel (likely close to 6-7PM), unpack and explore around the hotel area

Day 1 – Shibuya & Ghibli

* Meiji Jingu (6 AM)
* Starbucks Reserve Roastery (7-8 AM)
* Studio Ghibli Museum (10 AM) – tickets ordered
* Yoyogi Park
* Takeshita Street, Harry Harajuku Otter Cafe
* Hachiko Memorial Statue (Optional)
* Shibuya Parco (Pokemon Center), Nintendo Tokyo (may need timed entry tickets)
* Dinner at Gyukatsu Motomura

Day 2 – Chuo

* Tsukiji Market (6 AM)
* Hamarikyu Gardens
* Tokyo Tower (Optional)
* Tsuru TonTan Udon Noodle Brasserie (Opens at 11:30 AM)
* Nissan Crossing
* Uniqlo Ginza, Sanrio World Ginza
* Imperial Palace
* Tokyo Character Street
* Dinner at Tokyo Ramen Street

Day 3 – Asakusa & Sky Tree

* Senso-Ji Temple (8 AM)
* Explore Askausa (only know about Don Quijote, any other good spots to look for?)
* Kirby Cafe (12 PM) – reservation secured
* Tokyo Sky Tree
* Travel back to Shibuya
* Shibuya Sky for sunset – will book for sofa seats.
* Shibuya Crossing
* Dinner – Kura Sushi or Ajinoya Honaten

Day 4 – Disney Sea

Day 5 – Ueno & Akiba

* Breakfast – TBD
* Ueno Park
* Akiba Shopping & Lunch (some spots we are looking for: Yamashiroya, Ameyoko Street, Card World @ Tower Akiba, Gee Store, Super Potato, Yodobashi Camera Multimedia).
* Pokemon Center Tokyo DX & Pokemon Cafe Tokyo

Day 6 – Odaiba

* Breakfast – TBD
* TeamLab Planets (Option)
* DiverCity Tokyo (Unicorn Gundam Statue)
* Tokyo Joypolis
* Lunch at Tokyo Ramen Kokugikan Mai
* \*Free Time\*

Day 7 – Yokohama

* Travel to Yokohama
* Gundam Factory Yokohama
* Cup Noodles Museum
* Pokemon Center Yokohama
* Yokohama Cosmoworld (Optional)
* \*Free Time\*

Day 8 – Ikebukuro & Shinjuku

* Ikebukuro Shopping (Mandrake, Sunshine City, Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo)
* Omoide Yokocho
* Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Godzilla head and Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Building
* Dinner at Ichiran Ramen

Day 9 – Free Day \*Have not made any plans yet, might just explore, wander and relax.

Day 10 – Nara

* Check out from Hotel in Ikebukuro, ship luggage to Hotel in Osaka
* Travel to Nara
* Nakatanidou Mochi
* Kofukuji Temple
* Nara Park
* Todaiji Temple
* Travel to Osaka and check in at hotel

Day 11 – Universal Studios Japan

Day 12 – Kyoto

* Travel to Kyoto (looking into the Aonoyoshi Sightseeing Train
* Fushimi Inari Taisha (as early as logistically possible, or more feasible to go for sunset?)
* Kodaiji Temple
* Kiyomizu-dera
* Tenmangu Shrine (Optional)
* Starbucks (Optional)
* Nijo Castle
* Nishiki Market
* Travel back to Osaka

Day 13 – Osaka

* Umeda Sky Building (Optional since we’ve hit Skytree and Shibuya Sky?)
* Osaka Castle (Optional)
* Shi-tennoji Temple
* Denden Town
* Pokemon Center Osaka & Pokemon Cafe
* Osaka Aquarium
* Dotonburi Glico
* Dinner – Zauo Fishing Restaurant

Thanks in advance!